Penang: Culture and Arts

Penang has embraced all things modern but has still managed to hang on to its traditions. Penang’s historic capital, George Town, was listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 2008. It is officially recognised as having a unique architectural and cultural townscape beyond compare in East and Southeast Asia. Penang Museum, the Kek Lok Temple (one of the largest temple complexes in Southeast Asia) and the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion are just some of Penang’s cultural delights on offer. Penang is home to several theatres and many are influenced by the Chinese. These include the North Theatre, Young Theatre, Zao Xin Chang and Dramatic Boundary. The multi-ethnic population means that there’s a vast array of cultural delights on offer in Penang.